Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to participate in this adjournment debate.
I would now like to respond to the comments made by the hon. member for York South—Weston with regard to the broken lease agreement between the Canadian Air and Space Museum and Downsview Park, a crown corporation located in Toronto. Downsview Park's mandate involves building a national urban park without any subsidization from taxpayers. It must use its own revenue, including its rental agreements, to help it generate the funds necessary to build and operate the park.
Downsview Park has the challenge of preserving the heritage of the area and increasing public participation. The Canadian Air and Space Museum, which is a private museum, could no longer fulfill its obligations, and its operating costs had to be and still are being absorbed by Downsview Park. Downsview Park worked with the museum through three strategic alliances over six years and through lease agreements to help the museum develop a business model and marketing strategy.
Unfortunately, the museum was unable to stay open and meet its financial obligations. Downsview Park did its best to support the Canadian Air and Space Museum for many years. However, it could not continue to support an operation that incurred costs and caused the park a loss of revenue. Over the past year, the museum informed Downsview Park a number of times that it could not pay its current and future rent.
Downsview Park began issuing notices of default of payment in March 2011, and matters finally came to a head on September 20, 2011. The decision was made by Downsview Park, a crown corporation operating at arm's length from the government. Downsview Park is a self-financing crown corporation that has to operate like a business and generate revenue that can be used to build and maintain Downsview Park. As a not-for-profit organization, the Canadian Air and Space Museum has a responsibility to its members. It has to be fiscally responsible and fulfill its legal obligations in any agreements it has reached.
The Canadian Air and Space Museum will receive assistance over the coming months for an orderly transition of its activities effective March 31, 2012 and to secure the various exhibits. Discussions are currently being held between the national museums and the Canadian Air and Space Museum in order to ensure that its historic treasures are preserved for all Canadians.